One Future Collective is an organization that works towards building compassionate youth social leadership through the use of art, education, community intervention and policy advocacy – across verticals of gender justice, mental health, legal reform and development policy.

First published at NewsnViews.
“Sex is what you are born with, gender is what you recognize and sexuality is what you discover.”
Being trapped inside a body that doesn’t feel like your own, experiencing gender and sexuality in a completely different manner from what is expected of you, and the constant fear of being ridiculed, discriminated and outcasted from society — the life of a trans person in India is no less than a daily battle...

First published at NewsnViews.
“People have had the privilege of choice to make personal changes. They dyed their hair and dieted themselves to near death. They took steroids to build muscles and got breast implants and nose jobs so they’d resemble their favorite movie stars. They changed names, majors, jobs, husbands and wives. They changed religions and political parties. They moved across the country or the world — even changed nationalities. Why was gender the...

The role of society and healthcare professionals.
The first official count of the third gender in India in 2014 was 4.9 lakh. While transgender activists estimate the numbers to be six to seven times higher, such a large number of people identified themselves as belonging to the third gender, despite the fact that the census counting happened well before the Supreme Court order gave legal recognition to the third gender. Of the total number of transgenders...

At least once in our lifetimes, all of us must have experienced what it feels like to be left out. It could have been not being chosen to play in a sports team or not being given a role in a school drama, being the last one to finish food during breaks, being the last in a running race, having to sit alone in a cafeteria, and so many other situations — irrespective...

What has the internal stigmatisation and isolation of trans persons led to?
It is now a widely recognised and accepted fact that trans persons and gender non-conforming individuals are a part of most cultures all over the world. This, however, has not completely worked towards their advantage. Unique hurdles are always thrown in their way, whether when they're at the workplace or are accessing basic health care.
Apart from an already deteriorated physical and sexual health,...

There is a need for understanding, training and infrastructure.
There is a population of an estimated 25 million people, globally a population of 0.5%, who are trans- an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity does not conform to their biological sex. India has one of the largest population of trans people in the world, with an estimated population of 5 lakhs.
Trans persons, not just in India but on a global level, are vulnerable...

The amusing aspect of legislative endeavors in India is that laws are often drafted without rigorous research or consultation with stakeholders, and as a result the entire process ends up being similar to throwing your garbage behind your house — you may not see the garbage, but the the stink still exists. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 is a similar draft thrown about to make the Government feel good about...

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2017 is going to be submitted by the central government in the winter parliament session. This comes on the heels of debates within the parliament and with the transgender community on issues that need to be addressed. There was much work done within the community- by activists, lawyers and researchers- to suggest potential improvements to this landmark judgment that would make it truly representative of its...